This week at the movies, we have animated misfits (“Home,” featuring voice performances by Rihanna and Steve Martin), inmates in training (“Get Hard,” starring Will Ferrell and Kevin Hart), and terrified teens (“It Follows,” starring Maika Monroe and Keir Gilchrist). What do the critics have to say?

“Home”

It generally doesn’t take much to keep the little ones entertained, and critics say if that’s all you’re looking for, “Home” will probably do the trick. Just don’t expect anything you haven’t seen before. Jim Parsons voices Oh, a banished alien troublemaker, who befriends a girl named Tip (Rihanna) in search of her mother. Read More »

This week at the multiplex, we’ve got a rebellious teen (“Insurgent,” starring Shailene Woodley and Kate Winslet) and a repentant assassin (“The Gunman,” starring Sean Penn and Javier Bardem). Find out what the critics have to say on Rotten Tomatoes.

“Insurgent”

Shailene Woodley is well on her way to becoming one of Hollywood’s brightest stars. However, critics say there’s only so much she can do to save “Insurgent,” a middling middle chapter with frenetic action sequences but little narrative cohesion or character development. Read More »

This week at the multiplex, we’ve got a fairy tale princess (“Cinderella,” starring Lily James and Cate Blanchett) and a regretful hit man (“Run All Night,” starring Liam Neeson and Ed Harris). Find out what the critics have to say on Rotten Tomatoes.

“Cinderella”

Revisionist fairy tales are all the rage these days, so it’s a bit surprising that director Kenneth Branagh has taken the opposite tack with his mostly-straightforward version of “Cinderella.” Not that that’s a bad thing; critics say this is charming, visually striking family entertainment with more than a touch of the old Disney magic. Read More »

This week at the multiplex, we’ve got a conflicted robot (“Chappie,” starring Sharlto Copley and Dev Patel), traveling businessmen (“Unfinished Business,” starring Vince Vaughn and Dave Franco), and spry seniors (“The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel,” starring Judi Dench and Maggie Smith). Find out what the critics have to say on Rotten Tomatoes.

“Chappie”

With “District 9″ and ” Elysium,” director Neill Blomkamp established himself as a purveyor of action-packed sci-fi allegories. But critics say “Chappie” is a much less successful mix of pulp thrills and deep thoughts; its ideas take a backseat to its overstuffed, occasionally illogical plot. Read More »

This week at the multiplex, we’ve got con artists (“Focus,” starring Will Smith and Margot Robbie) and re-animators (“The Lazarus Effect,” starring Jennifer Lopez and Ryan Guzman). Find out what the critics have to say on Rotten Tomatoes.

“Focus”

Right out of the gate, “Focus” has quite a bit going for it: it’s a slick caper flick that boasts glamorous scenery and magnetic performances from Will Smith and up-and-comer Margot Robbie. But while critics say that’s enough to sustain interest for much of the movie’s runtime, an overabundance of twists and turns may leave viewers feeling a little cheated themselves. Read More »

This week at the movies, we’ve got a risqué relationship (“Fifty Shades of Grey,” starring Jamie Dornan and Dakota Johnson) and slick super-spies (“Kingsman: The Secret Service,” starring Colin Firth and Samuel L. Jackson). Find out what the critics have to say on Rotten Tomatoes.

“Fifty Shades of Grey”

If you thought “Twilight” needed fewer vampires and more handcuffs, “Fifty Shades of Grey” was written for you. E.L. James’s “Twilight” fan fiction-turned-erotic novel has become an international sensation in its own right, and it’s spawned a big screen adaptation that critics say is surprisingly tame, considering its source material. Read More »

This week at the multiplex, we’ve got spunky sea creatures (“The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge Out of Water,” with voice work from Tom Kenny and Bill Fagerbakke), a would-be space queen (“Jupiter Ascending,” starring Mila Kunis and Channing Tatum), and a witch slayer (“Seventh Son,” starring Jeff Bridges and Julianne Moore). Find out what the critics have to say on Rotten Tomatoes. Read More »

About Speakeasy

Speakeasy is a blog covering media, entertainment, celebrity and the arts. The publication is produced by Barbara Chai and Jonathan Welsh with contributions from the Wall Street Journal staff and others. Write to us at speakeasy@wsj.com or follow us on Twitter at @WSJSpeakeasy or individually @barbarachai.